Canine Care Guides

During an ophthalmic (eye) exam, a veterinarian may perform a number of tests. These tests can help identify (1) problems with the eyes or (2) underlying diseases that may affect the eyes. Your veterinarian may conduct the exam or recommend that a veterinary ophthalmologist (an eye-care specialist) evaluate your pet.

Most dental disease starts with the accumulation of plaque and tartar on a pet’s teeth. These substances contain bacteria, which can get under the gums and weaken the supporting tissue around the teeth. As a result, abscesses (pus-filled swellings) can form, and teeth may loosen, become painful, or fall out. Bacteria may also enter the bloodstream and infect the heart, kidneys, and liver. A professional veterinary dental cleaning is required to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth and beneath the gum line.

Panosteitis is a painful inflammation of the long bones in the limbs of young, medium- to large-breed dogs. The disease is common in German shepherds, German shepherd mixes, and basset hounds. Male dogs are four times more likely to experience panosteitis than females. The condition usually appears between the ages of 5 months to 1½ years.

Normally, the patella (kneecap) sits in a groove at the bottom of the femur (the major bone of the upper leg), where the femur and tibia (the major bone of the lower leg) meet at the knee. The patella is held in place by tendons and ligaments that keep it relatively stable against the femur. Patellar luxation occurs when your pet’s patella luxates from (slips out of) its normal position. The kneecap can slip to either the inside (medial patellar luxation) or the outside (lateral patellar luxation) of the femur.

Pemphigus is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the connections between its own skin cells, causing blisters to form on the skin and mucus membranes. Autoimmune diseases result when the body’s immune system does not recognize itself. Cells that normally attack invading viruses and bacteria begin attacking the body’s own cells, causing damage. The term pemphigus comes from the Greek word for pustule (a blister on the skin that is filled with pus).